Desk drawer stop



Sept 7, 1954 J. ULRICH 2,688,526

DESK cRAwER ST0!D Filed April 2, 1951 @-3 6 ao 25 a' 25 @l 12 Ufff/@WPatented Sept. 7, 1954 UNITED STATS ATNT OFFICE This invention relatesto improvements in locking mechanisms for desks and cabinet drawers ofthe type which locks the side drawers when the centre drawer is locked.

A particular object of the invention is to provide a spring actuatedlocking mechanism which is pivotally arranged for swinging movement toand from a drawer locking position, said mechanism being normally biasedto a disengaging position relative to the side drawers and beingactuated against the biasing by a centre drawer to a side drawer lockingposition.

1 Claim. (Cl. 312-221) Another object is to provide means for mainy Asalient feature of this invention resides in the provision of a lockingmechanism which is suitable for drawers of all heights withoutspecincation as to size or number of drawers. This made feasible by theprovision of a vertically disposed pivotal locking bar which may beengaged by any number of catches arranged on the drawers at any positionalong the length of the locking bar.

Another feature resides in the provision of a silent resiliently biasedactuating mechanism which moves the locking bar to and from a drawerlocking position.

A further feature resides in the provision of independent catches foreach drawer which, in cooperation with the locking bar, permit closingand locking ofany one drawer after the centre drawer has been locked andthe locking bar has been moved to its side drawer locking position.

The above and other objects and characteristic features of thisinvention will be more readily understood from the following detaileddescription taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, inwhich:

Fig. l is a View in vertical section showing a portion of a desk at oneside of a partition wall.

Fig. 2 is a plan view of that portion of the desk shown in Fig. 1 belowthe desk top.

Fig. 3 is a rear end View of the desk shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 2 but showing the locking mechanism inits disengaged position.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, 5 designates a verticalpartition wall extending beneath a desk top E. A centre drawer I isslidably supported on suitable guide rails 8 at one side of thepartition and a pair of superimposed drawers 9 and Ill are slidablysupported on guide rails II and I2, respectively, at the opposite sideof said partition wall.

A locking bar I3 is arranged at the side of the partition nearest thesuperimposed drawers. Upper and lower angle brackets I4 and I5 aresecured to the partition by fastening means generally indicated at I5.The upper and lower ends of locking bar I3 are pivotally secured tobrackets I4 and I5 to swing about a vertical axis provided by upper andlower pins I 1 and I8 which extend through bar knuckles I9 and ZI! andinto suitable openings in the projecting arms of said brackets. Pressurespring 2l secured about pin I3 normally biases the locking bar I3 to itsdrawer locking position, shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3. Locking bar catches22 are fastened to the rear panel of drawers S and IB by fasteningelements 23. Catches 22 are arranged so that, when said superimposeddrawers are in their closed position, as shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, andthe locking bar I3 is swung to its locking position, the bend 22a ofcatches 22 overlaps the outer edge of bar I3 to prevent sliding movementof the drawers to their open position.

A plate 25, pivotally mounted at one corner on locking bar pin I'I,extends through a slot 26 in the upper end of vertical partition wall 5.The forward corner of plate 25 on the side wall 5 remote from pin I'I isconnected to one end of a tension spring 2'! having its other endsecured by fastening elements 28 to said wall 5. The plate has a lug 29which engages locking bar I3 to rotate it to an inoperative position,shown in Fig. 4, when the plate is rotated about it's pivotal axisthrough the biasing of tension spring 2l. The tension of spring 2l' issufficient to overcome the counter-biasing which is applied to bar I3through the medium of spring 2i. A fastening element 32 arranged in aslot SI in plate 25 and secured to the upper surface of the slot 2t inpartition wall 5, tends to stabilize plate 25 and to limit its rotationin opposite directions. Plate 25 is also provided with an actuating arm32 which is positioned in the path of centre drawer l.

When it is desired to lock the desk drawers the end corner of drawer 'Iis pushed to its closed position against actuating arm 32 to rotateplate 25 against the biasing of spring 2l. Locking bar I3 is therebycaused to rotate through the biasing of spring 2| to its lockingposition of the drawers 9 and ill. If the drawers 9 and IU are closedthe bar will intercept the path of the bend 22rd of catches 22 toprevent opening of the drawers. If any of the drawers 9 or I0 are openwhen the centre drawer is closed, they may be closed by causing thecatch 22 to ride over the surface of bar I3 until the bar falls into itslocking position with respect to the catch. It will be noted that themarginal extension 22h of catch 22 is directed away from the path of thebar I3. The plate 25 which is limited as to rotation by the fasteningelement 30 in slot 3I, in turn limits the rotation of bar I3 so that itwill be in a position to engage the bend portion 22a but will not rotatebeyond a point which will permit the catch toyride over the surface ofbar I3 when the side drawers are being closed.

To open the drawers the centre drawer 1 is unlocked. The tension ofspring 21 on plate 25 is sufficient to cause the actuating arm 32 topush the centre drawer outwardly. When plate 25 rotates through thebiasing of spring 21 lug 29 rotates locking bar I3 against the biasingof spring 2| to its disengaging position, as shown in Fig. 4. Therotation of plate 25 through the biasing of spring 21 only pushes centredrawer 1 forward about 1/2 to 1% inches.

It will be appreciated that with my inventionl all of the componentparts except the actuating plate 25 equally may be adapted to left aswell as right hand drawers. Also the invention is readily adaptable forany number of side drawers since any number of catches may be arrangedto engage the locking bar at any desired point along its length.

The embodiments of the invention inwhioh an exclusive property orprivilege is claimed are dened as follows:

A drawer locking mechanism for a desk including a vertical partition, adrawer slidably supported at one side of said partition and a pluralityof superimposed drawers slidably supported at the opposite side of saidpartition, said locking mechanism comprising a substantially U- shapedlockingbar including arms disposed in vertically spaced horizontalplanes and a vertically extending bight portion, said arms having theirterminal portions pivoted to said partition for swinging movement of thebight portion of said bar about a vertical axis into and out of the pathof travel of said superimposed drawers and with said bight portiondisposed on the side of said pivotal axis remote from the forward end ofthe drawers, bar engaging catches carried by said superimposed drawersand arranged so that, when said superimposed drawers are in their closedposition and the bight portion of said bar projects into the path oftravel of said drawers, said catches will engage the rearward edge ofsaid bar bight portion, means normally biasing said bar to swing intothe path of travel of said superimposed drawers, a bar actuating elementcomprising a plate member extending through said partition, said platebeing superimposed on the upper arm of said locking bar to freely rotateabout the pivotal axis of said locking bar, a lug carried by said plateand extending into the path of movement of said locking bar on one sidethereof to exert swinging pressure against said bar to thereby move saidbar against its normal biasing out of the path of movement of saidsuperimposed drawers in response to rotation of said plate in onedirection, said plate projecting beyond the side of the partition remotefrom the axis of the plate into the path of travel of said rst mentioneddrawer for counterrotation of said plate during closing movement of thefirst mentioned drawer to thereby release said swinging pressure of theplate against said bar.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS NumberName Date 1,744,646 Kurter Jan. 21, 1930 2,180,630 Hearn Nov. 21, 19392,498,271 Hearn Feb. 21, 1950 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 31,281Sweden Mar. 31, 1909

